Termites: a proven way to reduce food insecurity and poverty

Edible insects can help feed the populations of developing countries, says Ntokozo Blessing Zitha, an agricultural economist involved with the Agricultural Research's Council Professional Development Programme.

- Ntokozo Blessing Zitha

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations promotes edible insects as an alternative source of protein that can be introduced into human diets as well as animal feed. It is estimated that over two billion people worldwide rely on more than 1 900 insect species as food sources, and these include approximately 43 species of termites belonging to four families.

Preparation methods for insects include boiling, steaming and frying. After preparation, the insects can be preserved either by keeping them in a fridge or freezer. If uncooked, they can be sun-dried.

The practice of entomophagy, the technical term for consuming insects, has gained prominence in Asia, Africa, North America and Australia. Although the practice is still in its infancy in Europe, the European Food Safety Authority in 2015 suggested a list of insect species with high potential for use as food for humans and feed for animals.

AFRICA

Africa is ranked as the continent with the highest number of insect eaters, followed by the Americas and Asia. In Africa, the practice is particularly popular in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. In these countries, a number of termite species are regarded as a delicacy.

South Africa’s rural areas face poverty, unemployment and food insecurity, and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated these socioeconomic factors. Households in the Vhembe district of Limpopo, where edible termites already form an important part of the diet in rural households, have responded by increasing their adoption of entomophagy. Communities in this area are engaged in harvesting edible termites and commercialising production.